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Saddleback handling of presidential forum tickets angers some

Take our poll: Some O.C. residents express anger over inability to obtain tickets for Obama-McCain forum.

By ALEJANDRA MOLINA AND GREG HARDESTY

LAKE FOREST - Pastor Rick Warren is not on Greg Burger's A-list.

When the 26-year-old Lake Forest resident found out about the John McCain-Barack Obama forum at Saddleback Church this Saturday, he did what a lot of people did: He checked the church Web site as often as he could to get the most up-to-date ticket information.

"I knew my only chance to receive tickets would be to act fast," Burger said.

For the past couple of weeks, the general public had been told via the church's Web site that ticket information would be forthcoming.

Then last week, the message changed and said a limited number of tickets would be available this Wednesday. Monday night, the message was revised again, saying all tickets had been distributed.

The switcheroo left many people like Burger feeling like they were deceived.

"How is it fair that after I stay up night after night waiting for ticket information and after I followed each direction Saddleback Church's Web site led me to that I never stood a chance to get the tickets?" Burger asked.
Do you think tickets to the McCain/Obama appearance at Saddleback Church were distributed in a fair manner?

No! They should have made them available to the public. Yes! Church members deserved first chance to buy them. Neither, they should have been free and open to the general public.

Public criticism over the ticket policy has sent church officials scrambling to explain itself as the big day approaches — although many would-be attendees remain unsatisfied by their explanation.

Church officials said they'd hoped to have some tickets available for the public but ran out when they couldn't satisfy demand among church members, who got the first crack at tickets that sold for $500 to $2,000.

Church officials said they decided to charge admission for people who wanted a chance to see the Republican and Democratic presidential hopefuls because of the expenses to stage the event and provide television feeds to a host of networks.

The high prices raised eyebrows.

"I cannot afford to buy my way into fundraisers," Burger said.

Jay Geer, a public relations crisis consultant, said Saddleback Church officials could have handled the ticket issue better.

"When you have the national stage, shouldn't you be open to everybody? A church that espouses its openness is now catering to the haves and have-nots."

"But I don't see the church suffering any long-term image damage," he said. "The national platform of the presidential candidates and the subsequent national coverage of the event put the church into the stratosphere."

Some residents had concerns about the church taking money for a political event. One the church's Web site, Warren said he felt the event was not a violation of church and state.

"It has no government sponsorship," he said in a statement.

Still, some residents may have long memories about the ticket brouhaha.

Tanya Hemphill, a 63-year-old housewife in Laguna Hills who does not go to Saddleback Church, had been hoping to go to the event with four relatives to see Obama.

"It's like the event is closed, and being held in a mansion in Beverly Hills," Hemphill said. "The church has done a lot of good things for the community, but this is going to leave a bad taste in a lot of people's mouths."
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http://www.ocregister.com/articles/church-tickets-event-2125034-ticket-burger